COLLEGE PARK, Md. — No. 1 seed Northwestern Field Hockey (18-0, 8-0) is ready to take the field in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals against No. 4 seed Rutgers (8-8, 4-4) on Friday, Nov. 8, at noon CST. The Wildcats, who earned a first-round bye, will face the Scarlet Knights at the University of Maryland’s Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex, with live coverage on the Big Ten Network featuring Jack Kizer and Kara Lentz.
24 hours ? pic.twitter.com/D9bupJ8890
— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) November 7, 2024
The Wildcats enter the tournament with a historic season behind them, having swept the Big Ten’s top honors earlier this week. Northwestern players claimed the Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, and Goalkeeper of the Year awards, while Head Coach Tracey Fuchs was named Big Ten Coach of the Year. This marks the first time since 2006 that a Big Ten team has swept these categories, adding to the Wildcats’ confidence as they advance in the postseason.
Northwestern last faced Rutgers on Oct. 4, when they secured a decisive 4-0 victory at Lakeside Field. In that matchup, sophomore Ashley Sessa led the scoring with a hat trick, and Ilse Tromp opened the second half with a powerful drag flick that ignited Northwestern’s offense. The Wildcats have won 11 of their last 16 games against Rutgers, including the past three contests, and are eager to extend this streak in tournament play.
Hat Trick for Ashley??
OBC ??Sessa?? pic.twitter.com/tK37hrVMmS
— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) October 4, 2024
Rutgers advanced to the semifinals by defeating No. 5 seed Ohio State 2-1 in the quarterfinals, propelled by two goals from Kara Heck. The Scarlet Knights showcased resilience in their opener, setting up a competitive semifinal matchup with the Wildcats.
If Northwestern prevails against Rutgers, they will advance to the Big Ten Championship game on Sunday, Nov. 10, at 10 a.m. CST, where they would face the winner of the other semifinal featuring Maryland and the victor of Michigan vs. Indiana. Northwestern is aiming to repeat their success from last year’s Big Ten Tournament, where they claimed the title with a 1-0 double-overtime win over Maryland.
With numerous Big Ten honors and a standout regular season, the Wildcats are poised for a strong showing in this year’s tournament as they pursue another conference title under the leadership of Coach Fuchs.
